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Mystery (1Peter 1:10-12)

"Of this salvation the prophets have sought out and searched  diligently... things which angels desire to look into" (vs10,12)

When Adam and Eve sinned, God made a promise of salvation; but the  promise was veiled behind symbolism. The "Seed" of the woman. (Gen3:15)  An animal was killed, and from Abel's offering, we can see how they were  already instructed regarding the "fat" (Gen4:4), as there would later be  many mentions when Moses would come along and institute all the temple  rituals. (Ex23:18, 29:13, etc)  When David cries out, "My Mighty God, My  Mighty God, why have You forsaken me?" (Ps22:1) did he fully understand  what he was prophesying? When Isaiah prophesied about the "tender  plant", "man of pain", "He has borne our sickness", "the chastisement  for our peace was upon Him" (Is53) did he fully understand what the Holy  Spirit was proclaiming through him? When the coming of Messiah was  prophesied, "And you, Bethlehem... out of you shall come One leading Who  will shepherd My people Israel." (Mic5:2,6) did Micah understand fully?

If all these prophecies (and others) had been so crystal clear, one  would think that Jesus would have been received by the ruling elites and  scholars. The scholars were not even privy to the giving of His name,  but the angel was sent to Mary and Joseph, His name shall be "Jesus"  (Mt1:21, Lk1:31) Except for the visit of the wise men, asking after the  new "King of the Jews", and Herod's attempt to obliterate Him, those  In-the-Know  DID NOT KNOW Him.

According to prophecy, and their own self-absorbed political ambitions  (Jn11:48 ), they envisioned a completely different -kind- of Messiah.  They were looking for political salvation from Rome. For some reason  they didn't see Jesus coming to save the world from sin. After all, they  were already (self) righteous, maintaining the "traditions of [their]  fathers" (Ga1:14)

Also, the Jews apparently had forgotten the nature of God's call to  them, as a "kingdom of priests" (Ex19:6)  A priest, by definition, is a  go-between between God and man. If they were a "kingdom" of priests,  that means God's original desire for them, as a nation, was to be God's  representative to the other nations of the world. By definition: being  evangelists of God to the Gentiles. They rebelled; and by the time Jesus  came they considered Gentiles to be "dogs" (Mt15:26-28 )  And so God sent  Jesus to do what Israel failed to do: to be a "a Light to bring  revelation to the Gentiles" (Lk2:32, Is42:6)

There were 4000 years of foreshadows of Jesus, even though they didn't  understand it. They repeated the animal sacrifices, sabbath after  sabbath, year after year. They knew -of- the woman's "Seed"; but did not  understand what would actually be happening. Just as we look ahead at  prophecy and see the -pieces- of the end-time 'puzzle', but the puzzle  hasn't yet been fully assembled, so they did, too. So they continued  offering the sacrifices in faith. But -we- have now become the  recipients of their prophecies. They continually looked -ahead-. But we,  now, look -back- "in remembrance" (Lk22:19, 1Co11:24-25) It is now  past-perfect tense. "It has been finished" (Jn19:30)  And actually,  seeing as how prophecy spoke of it, in God's convention, Jesus had  already been offered "before the foundation of the world" (vs20 see  also: Jn17:24)

To have questions amongst -people- I understand. The part that puzzles  me is the closing phrase, "things which angels desire to look into"  (vs12b) Angels have a perspective of creation and man's history that  man, himself, does not yet see. They have direct access to God's throne.  From Job's account, we know that there are discussions between God and  satan regarding people. When Ahab needed to die in battle, an angel  suggests a method to get the job done, by being a "lying spirit" in the  mouths of the false prophets. (2Ch18:21)  Jesus tells Peter that Satan  had asked God's permission to "sift [him] as wheat" (Lk22:31)

So, if angels have all this intimate knowledge and understanding of man,  why do they not 'understand' (?) Salvation?  Or perhaps, it means  something a bit different? Perhaps angels don't have opportunity for  salvation when they disobeyed...but wish they did? This is a mystery I  don't understand. And I don't know that the passage answers it. And the  first couple chapters of Hebrews don't really answer it either. John is  chided for bowing to the angel (Rev19:10,22:9); and the angel tells  John, "I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and  of those who keep the words of this Book"  And yet, on the other hand,  Paul informs us that we will "judge angels" (1Co6:3) Is that -all-  angels? ...or just the fallen ones?
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Mysteries.

The whole thing of Jesus Christ and Salvation is a mystery; which Paul  reveals in many of his epistles.

But notice the -topic- of the mystery. It is concerning "the grace  towards you". (vs10b)  In the OT, during worship, their worship songs  were of the words:

"Oh, give thanks unto Jehovah, for He is good; for His mercy is  eternal." (1Ch16:34)

But they were bound in Law. They were continually -doing- rituals  towards righteousness. They continually -kept- the Law, perhaps not  being fully aware that, behind those rituals was actually God's grace.

"Through Jehovah’s kindness (mercy & grace) we are not consumed, because  His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your  faithfulness." (Lam3:22-23)

David is a prime example of OT grace. For what he did, committing  adultery and murder, he should have been executed. But when he  confessed, was told: "Jehovah has put away your sin; you shall not die"  (2Sa12:13) In a historical context of Law... Grace!

This is the prime difference between Christianity and pagan religions.  Remember, we opened the series observing that Jesus was Resurrected.  Pagan religions worship -dead- deities. And as for the qualifications to  participate in Eternal Life... well... pagan religions cannot offer it.  But they seek after -something- through works. Babylon of Rome has  penances, masses, rosaries. Other religions do various forms of  attempted self-atonement: climbing steps on bloody knees,  self-flagellations, doing "random acts of kindness" (Oprah's religion),  going to church regularly, etc.

But Salvation in Christ is based on God's -grace-. We failed, we messed  up, and we cannot save ourselves; any deeds we might wish to use for  self-atonement would never measure up to God's holy standard. It is  hopeless. But when we acknowledge our own hopelessness, and receive the  gift God offers...we receive SO MUCH MORE than any of the world's  religions pretend to offer. They cannot offer Eternal Life. God does,  through Jesus Christ.

And since it was fallen angels who devised the religions that man took  up, starting at Babel (and before the flood), perhaps that is why they  "desire to look into" it?  God's grace, provided courtesy of Jesus' shed  blood (giving His soul), is so far beyond anything they could devise.

Perhaps: Discussions that have been going on in the Heavenlies? Perhaps,  in time, we will become privy to them...as we then "fully know just as  [we are] fully known"? (1Co13:12)